John Allan Stewart (1 June 1942 – 7 December 2016) was a Scottish
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
politician and
Scottish Office
The Scottish Office was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland. Following the e ...
minister.
Early life
Stewart was born on 1 June 1942 in North
Fife
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
.
He attended
Bell Baxter High School
Bell Baxter High School is a non-denominational comprehensive school for 11 to 18-year-olds in Cupar, Fife, Scotland. Founded in 1889, it educates over 1,500 pupils mainly from the surrounding villages.
The school is one of 18 secondary schoo ...
in
Cupar
Cupar ( ; gd, Cùbar) is a town, former royal burgh and parish in Fife, Scotland. It lies between Dundee and Glenrothes. According to a 2011 population estimate, Cupar had a population around 9,000, making it the ninth-largest settlement in Fif ...
.
He then studied at
St. Andrews University and
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, where he obtained a first class degree.
Career
He was a lecturer in
Political Economy
Political economy is the study of how Macroeconomics, economic systems (e.g. Marketplace, markets and Economy, national economies) and Politics, political systems (e.g. law, Institution, institutions, government) are linked. Widely studied ph ...
at St. Andrews before standing unsuccessfully for the
Dundee East constituency in 1970.
He was briefly a
councillor
A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries.
Canada
Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...
in the
London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley () is the southeasternmost of the London boroughs that make up Greater London, bordering the ceremonial county of Kent, which most of Bromley was part of before 1965. The borough's population is an estimated 332,336 ...
in the mid-1970s. In the 1970s, he also acted as the Secretary of the
Confederation of British Industry
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is a UK business organisation, which in total claims to speak for 190,000 businesses, this is made up of around 1,500 direct members and 188,500 non-members. The non members are represented through the 1 ...
.
He was elected
MP for
East Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire ( sco, Aest Renfrewshire; gd, Siorrachd Rinn Friù an Ear) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. Until 1975, it formed part of the county of Renfrewshire for local government purposes along with the modern council areas of ...
in
1979
Events
January
* January 1
** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
.
His maiden speech as an MP was in support of a motion to repeal the
Scotland Act 1978
The Scotland Act 1978 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom intended to establish a Scottish Assembly as a devolved legislature for Scotland. At a referendum held in the following year, the Act failed to gain the necessary level ...
, which would have established a new devolved Scottish Assembly.
He served on the
Scottish Affairs Select Committee
The Scottish Affairs Select Committee is a Select committee (United Kingdom), select committee of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine the e ...
for 2 years.
He continued as MP for the East Refrewshire area in its successor
Eastwood Eastwood may refer to:
Places
;in Australia
*Eastwood, New South Wales
**Eastwood railway station
**Electoral district of Eastwood
*Eastwood, South Australia
;in Canada
* Eastwood, Ontario
*Eastwood, Edmonton, Alberta, a neighborhood
;in the Ph ...
from 1983 until 1997.
He served two periods as
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post (of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State rank) in the Government of the United Kingdom, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland. The post is also know ...
at the
Scottish Office
The Scottish Office was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland. Following the e ...
from 1981 to 1986, and from 1990 to 1995.
He was responsible initially for health, home affairs and environment at the Scottish Office.
After 1983, he was responsible for industry and education at the Scottish Office until he left the position in 1986.
One of his final acts, while responsible for education in Scotland, was to order the phased closure of
Leith Nautical College
Leith Nautical College was a maritime college in Leith, Scotland. The college provided instruction for the training of Merchant Navy officers and other seafarers. Courses offered included naval architecture, marine engineering, telegraphy, radar a ...
in 1986.
From 1990, he assumed responsibility for the community charge at the Scottish Office.
He was described politically as an advocate of
Free market
In economics, a free market is an economic system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of government or any o ...
ideas and a supporter of
Thatcherism
Thatcherism is a form of British conservative ideology named after Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher that relates to not just her political platform and particular policies but also her personal character and general style of manag ...
ideology.
Stewart was forced to resign his ministerial post after an incident in February 1995, when he brandished a pickaxe at demonstrators who were protesting at the construction of the
M77 motorway
The M77 motorway is a motorway in Scotland. It begins in Glasgow at the M8 motorway at Kinning Park, and terminates near Kilmarnock at Fenwick, becoming the A77 dual carriageway. Changes were made in 2005 segregating a lane on the M8 motorw ...
.
He was subsequently fined £200
by the
Paisley Sheriff Court
Paisley Sheriff Court is a municipal structure in St James Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The complex, which was the headquarters of Renfrewshire County Council and is currently used as a courthouse, is a Category A listed building.
...
for breach of the peace and was forced to give up his position in the Scottish Office.
In March 1997, Stewart was hospitalised, in
Dykebar Hospital
Dykebar Hospital is a mental health facility in Dykebar, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The main building is a Grade B listed building. The hospital is managed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
History
The hospital, which was designed by Thoma ...
, Paisley, after suffering a
nervous breakdown
A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...
and due to accusations about his personal life. He stood down, not seeking re-election to Parliament in the
general election held on 1 May that year, and subsequently retired altogether from politics. Stewart died in December 2016 at the age of 74.
Personal life
Stewart was married to a woman named Susie and they had one son, Jack, and one daughter, Rosa.
It was reported that he had an affair with a woman named Catherine Knight, however he remained married to his wife until his death.
It was reported late in his career that he had a serious problem with alcohol and participated in the Alcoholics Anonymous program.
He was an active member of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.
References
* ''Times Guide to the House of Commons'', Times Newspapers Limited, 1992 and 1997 editions.
* Dod Vacher's ''Parliamentary Guide Companion'' edition, 1992 and 1997.
External links
*
Allan Stewart
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Allan
1942 births
2016 deaths
Alumni of the University of St Andrews
Councillors in the London Borough of Bromley
Harvard University alumni
People educated at Bell Baxter High School
Scottish Conservative Party MPs
UK MPs 1979–1983
UK MPs 1983–1987
UK MPs 1987–1992
UK MPs 1992–1997